The Portuguese approached behind a probing galley and exchanged fire before boarding began. In Diu's calm harbour, gunners deliberately fired at the water so cannonballs skipped like stones into enemy hulls near the waterline. A broadside from Espírito Santo demonstrated the effect by sinking a vessel almost immediately. The technique exposed how unprepared the coalition was for the weight and placement of Portuguese gunfire.
Chapter · 1:13:01-1:14:38
Skipping-shot gunnery opens the battle
Portuguese gunners used Diu's calm water to skip cannon shot into enemy hulls near the waterline before the fleets grappled.